"When you really want something to happen, the whole universe conspires so that your wish comes true".

The Alchemist has been called "an exciting novel that bursts with optimism; it is the kind of novel that tells you that everything is possible as long as you really want it to happen," but I must stand up and confess that I did not find it exciting. Perhaps the book is just too religious for me to grasp, but although I thought it a charming tale, I did not really know what to make of it. The simplicity of the writing has also been praised, but I found the story teller's style tiresome to read, too choppy. I realize that Coelho did not write this book in English, but I suspect that the staccato nature of the writing was not lost in translation.

So, if you read this and adored it, feel free to scold me. Perhaps I had unreal expectations.